


Secret Among Us

by Lynndias



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, College/University AU, F/F, Idol/Double Life AU, Minor Annette Fantine Dominic/Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, annette is an idol too if you're wondering, dorothea is tired idol and student, ingrid is tired college student
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:22:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25904281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lynndias/pseuds/Lynndias
Summary: Idol/Double Life AU + College AU: Ingrid is frustrated, her partner is ghosting her when this final project is due in two days! Little does she know that her partner is secretly the popular and mysterious idol, the Black Siren. Meanwhile, Dorothea is busy balancing both of her lives as an idol and as a college student. Little does she know that Ingrid just might be the best of both worlds.
Relationships: Annette Fantine Dominic/Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Dorothea Arnault & Ingrid Brandl Galatea, Dorothea Arnault/Ingrid Brandl Galatea
Comments: 8
Kudos: 57





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Dorothea's idol name, the Black Siren, is truly inspired by a paragraph from "they were stablemates" written by juicecarver. My friend and I had a really hard time coming up with an idol name so there you go. The story is really nice to read if you like this pairing, so I recommend checking it out!

Ingrid would have never imagined her evening to be spent like this as she stood among a screaming crowd. Typically, when she wasn’t working, her nights were well spent either catching up with homework or studying.

Yet, here she stood beside Sylvain alongside the crowd. Everyone, including Ingrid, was facing the stage in front of them. The performer wasn’t even on stage, yet everyone was ecstatic and hollering at the top of their lungs. 

Oh, how she wished she could be back at her cozy dorm, finishing up her final project that was due by the end of the week. 

\----

Ingrid’s evening routine was interrupted when her childhood (and annoying) friend called through her phone with a beggarly voice.

“My dearest friend, Ingrid! Would you care to join me to a concert tonight?”

Ingrid could only respond to his invitation with a tiring sigh. “Sylvain, I’m busy.”

With that, she presses on the bright red button on her smartphone, ending the phone call immediately. However, before Ingrid could even place her phone down, it rings once again.

“Come on, Ingrid!” Sylvain cried from his end of the phone call. “It’s the Black Siren we’re talking about now! Even Felix thinks she sings well! You have to come!”

Recently the _Black Siren_ was quite the topic whenever Ingrid was among her colleagues. It was quite known that the Black Siren was a talented performer with a stellar voice. Her popularity was not only due to her latest album, _Meteor!_ _★_ , but also her secret identity was attractive to the common eye. She was known for wearing an iconic black masquerade mask wherever she went. This mysterious aspect of hers is what drives gossip within the media and news outlets.

Ingrid groans, then responds with a stern voice with her phone to her ear, “Sylvain, for the last time, I have a project due in two days!”

Being life long friends – Ingrid and Sylvain were transparent to one another. They knew each other inside and out. Yet, Ingrid never understood why Sylvain always insisted on taking her out to such lackluster places. He knew she wasn’t the type of person to go out as their definitions of fun were significantly different.

Her redheaded friend kept her on the phone for what felt like hours to sway her to change her mind. He begged her to come along with him since neither Felix nor Dimitri could make it to the concert. Ingrid disregarded his requests and hung up on him many more times. 

Ingrid finally gave in and agreed to his invitation upon his tenth phone call, much to Ingrid’s annoyance. He eventually pulled her strings when he mentioned it would be a waste of a front-row ticket if he couldn’t find anyone else to come along.

\----

She then realized that it was all a big mistake as she bumped helplessly against the crowd. Her time could have been well spent elsewhere instead of attending this measly concert.

With her arms crossed, Ingrid took the time to organize her thoughts on how she planned to finish her class project rather than paying attention to her surroundings.

Ingrid then takes the time to sigh as she realizes she did nearly all the work in her project that was supposed to be split with her partner. Even with Ingrid being the initiative one, her partner practically ghosted her countless messages and never responded to her words of collaboration. 

Ingrid understood that people could be busy, especially during college. However, her partner had put no effort into communicating with her, leaving Ingrid frustrated with a project that was only three quarters done. At least pretend to care! 

She cursed her partner, Dorothea, in her head. Her Name (and phone number) was quite literally the only thing she knew of the woman. She couldn't even remember what she looked like since they never met up!

“Come on, Ingrid, it’s a concert! Relax!” Sylvain exclaimed as he noticed her face twisted unhappily in thought.

She turned to face him. Ingrid’s response was drowned amid all the cheering as it grew even louder than before. She didn’t realize a crowd of people could make this much noise.

The opening riff of one of the Black Siren’s infamous songs played through the rumbling speakers. Ingrid uncrossed her arms and took notice of the songstress walking onto the stage.

Ingrid had to admit; the songstress was undeniably gorgeous in person. She had only seen fleeting photos of the idol while scrolling social media, but seeing her with her own eyes was another story. The Black Siren’s dress compiled a color palette of stylish reds and blacks. The outfit perfectly matched her brunette hair that was tied into a high ponytail held together by a charming ribbon bow. Last but not least, she adorned her signature black mask that delicately concealed her true face. The gleam of her eyes was barely visible, but to Ingrid, just a glimpse of her scarlet eyes lured her in. Her intense gaze contrasted so elegantly with her mask that Ingrid thought she was staring into a black cat’s eyes. With her headpiece resting near her lips, the idol then greeted her massive audience.

The Black Siren struts across the stage as the melody of her song is met with her voice. Her background dancers dressed in full black complimented her every move. As she sang her notes, she gracefully walked to the front of the stage to acknowledge the fans in the front row. She crouched and met their open hands with high fives and gentle touches. 

If Ingrid had a dollar for every time she heard this song through the radio, she would make some serious profit. The tune was played countless times to the point where it became deafening to Ingrid’s ears. However, she had to admit that being able to witness the song being performed right before her eyes was remarkable.

Ingrid finally understands why even Felix, grumpiest of all grumps, admits to liking the Black Siren’s singing. She couldn’t help but become excited by the woman behind the mask.

Continuing her performance, the singer slowly tours closer to where Ingrid and Sylvain were standing. Ingrid couldn’t imagine how many people would kill to be in her position, literally. All she had to do was glance upwards to meet the eyes of the songstress.

At first, Ingrid thought she was seeing things, but she noticed the idol’s hand covering a gasp as their eyes met. It was as if the songstress was surprised to see Ingrid at her concert. It was such a quick interaction, Ingrid swore she just imagined it.

She blinked, confused, but didn’t think much of it as the performer wandered elsewhere to interact with her audience. 

Much to Ingrid’s surprise, she swears this time she didn’t imagine it, her eyes meet with the Black Siren’s once again and is followed by an inviting wink by the performer. Had she really turned back around to act flirty with her? Out of all of the fans in the audience?

Yet again, Ingrid blinked. The heat crept up to her face, and her ears burned as she struggled to comprehend the interaction. An idol? Winking at her in the middle of a performance?

Alas, Ingrid never imagined she would be spending her evening like this.

* * *

Dorothea wished she could scream at the top of her lungs, much like her many fans at the performance she just finished. Instead, she dropped herself on her bed and buried her face in a pillow, a muffled yell spilling from her lips.

Oh, how could she be so forgetful! Dorothea was assigned a partner project for her film history class as her final grade of the semester! If it weren’t for seeing her partner at Dorothea’s own concert, Dorothea would've never remembered!

Sitting up from her bed, Dorothea hugs the pillow to her chest. She gives it a quick and tight squeeze to ease herself if only a little.

Cleary, Dorothea, was a busy person. She was the Black Siren herself! It wasn’t as transparent for her classmates to know, of course. As Dorothea’s popularity skyrocketed, Dorothea’s time for schoolwork yielded, and she found it even harder to balance both of her identities. Finding time to study for her upcoming finals was already stressful enough, all while being a famous idol.

Nonetheless, Dorothea never meant to leave her partner hanging with her own lack of communication. Dorothea remembers receiving Ingrid’s initiative messages, but she never had the chance to reply. 

When Dorothea didn’t think things could get any worse, she recalled that the project was due by the end of the week! Her heart aches, trying to imagine all of the work her partner had to do all by herself; it was meant for two people for a reason!

A groan escaped Dorothea as she flopped herself on her bed with remorse and regret. Ingrid must be so furious that she could even hate Dorothea without even knowing who she was.

As a growing public figure, Dorothea has received harsh criticism before, and she has learned to accept the many perspectives of others. Hell, she even learned to withstand the circulating hate that came along with her popularity and success. However, the thought of someone hating her due to her forgetfulness on a school assignment made Dorothea anxious.

Her only option now was for her to merely text her partner back. 

Swiping at her phone, Dorothea dug through her device to find the one-sided conversation Ingrid had texted her.

And so, she begins typing her apology.

> _hi ingrid! i’m really, like, REALLY sorry about getting to you so late about the project! (but i can make it up to you! how about we meet up somewhere to eat and work together? lunch can be on me too! ☕_

After clicking on send, Dorothea threw her phone across her bed. She let out a sigh of relief and let her body relax. At least she acknowledged the poor girl’s messages, Dorothea could rest comfortably.

Thinking to herself, Dorothea hoped that this Ingrid girl doesn’t connect the dots with her being an idol, especially since she decided to text her partner this late at night. As the Black Siren herself, Dorothea has learned that her fans can be either very annoyingly observant or amusingly dense.

Dorothea hummed, as another thought came to mind. Does this mean that Ingrid was a fan of her work? She did have a front-row seat, after all. She couldn’t help but smile at the thought, especially when she remembered Ingrid’s cute flustered face.

A little notification chime brought Dorothea back to reality. She reaches for her phone from the other end of her bed and eyes the glowing message from Ingrid Of course, she still had to be awake since the concert didn’t end long ago. Unlocking her phone, Dorothea read the text message:

> _No worries! I’ve been awake for quite a while now... I’m like 3/4 done with the project. Do you think we can meet up at the Silver Snow Cafe around 2 PM, then? I’m just glad you got back to me._

When Dorothea finished reading the response, she couldn’t help but feel on edge. Hopefully, Ingrid’s words weren’t meant to be taken as passive-aggressive? Even so, the girl put an ellipsis in her text!

She typed a lighthearted reply to Ingrid, agreeing with the plans with a polite “see you then!”. After doing so, Dorothea threw her phone across her bed once more.

Well, there was nothing she could do now but do her part of the project. Dorothea hopped off her bed and to her desk. With this, she began researching for her project’s topic for another night up late

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos for my irl friends for beta-reading this! Kudos for you for reading this too! Please leave any comments! I want to improve as a writer.
> 
> Twitter: @Lynnndias


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before Ingrid and Dorothea can even start on their project, Ingrid's friends interrupt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update! School just started for me! I've already started on chapter 3, so I'll try to update once a week at least!

Dorothea couldn't believe she overslept! Ripping herself from the comfort of her apartment, she quickly gets ready and scrambles out of the complex and in the direction of the Silver Snow Cafe. Dorothea had spent the entire night catching up with her schoolwork and she had forgotten to set an alarm! For the first time in forever, she received a day off from her idol responsibilities and yet, she wasted half of it sleeping in! 

Suddenly, she felt grateful for all of the constant physical training idol work had on her body. She silently gives thanks to her choreograph instructor. Singing and dancing on stage isn’t easy in the slightest, but it pays off as she continues her mad dash.

In spite of having an active lifestyle, the raging summer sun makes the run to the cafe all the more painful. Running in the hot air was so unsatisfying. Taking a deep breath didn’t help, sweat builds everywhere, almost every possible insect is active, ew. She dreads the season and dreads the sweat she knows is building underneath her arms but continues onward.

Finally, she reached her destination. Dorothea gives herself a moment to catch her breath. In spite of her panting, she gazes at her reflection in the glass and adjusts her hair. She totally didn’t oversleep, she was just fashionably late. Dorothea peeps properly through the glass doors and her attention is immediately caught on Ingrid’s long yellow hair as she sits patiently in a booth. In her hands is a medieval novel with a gaudy knight on the cover.

Letting out another sigh, Dorothea enters through the door – the bells from above chimed delicately. Cool air breezes past her, pushing the hot air out of the cafe. Dorothea feels comfort from not only the sweet embrace of air conditioning but also from the nostalgic smell of coffee and pastries served together.

The brunette’s entrance catches Ingrid's attention, her expression floods with uncertainty. Her emerald-green eyes meet with Dorothea's.

"You must be Dorothea?" Ingrid asked with one of her eyebrows raised curiously.

"In the flesh," Dorothea responds playfully, setting herself down on the wooden chair across from Ingrid’s plush booth. She removes her book bag and places it to her additional chair at her side as Ingrid watches idly.

Besides her neutral face, the girl is dressed in a tall plaid flannel that overlapped a simple t-shirt. Dorothea couldn't help but wonder if her partner was even thrilled to see her with her poker face.

"Sorry about being late, I um,” She debates even sharing the information but opts for full honesty. “Overslept…” Dorothea has half the mind to at least look sheepish about it, but Ingrid sighs with an understanding smile.

"Oh no, don't worry. I just got here myself, too. I got home really late from a concert last night," Ingrid responded with a not so reassuring face. There was slight annoyance in spite of her previous smile, did she not want to be at her concert?

"Oh, I kn–"

Dorothea bit her lower lip for just a second – that was a close one. Again, Ingrid raises her eyebrows at the secret idol. Internally, Dorothea wants to hit herself. She only interacted with Ingrid for a brief moment, and almost slipped up, just like that! Covering her mouth, she lets out a cough to cover up her error. Dorothea continues innocently, "Never knew you… Would like going to concerts?” she offers lamely. “Who did you see?" Her fingers comb through strands of her hair to try and physically direct Ingrid’s attention elsewhere, if her words were unable to.

Ingrid – who was now taking out her belongings from her bag– doesn't bother looking up. She answers flatly, "I went to see the Black Siren."

Dorothea dramatically lets out a loud, "Oooh," as if she was gossipping the latest school rumor. She then hums in glee, showing her interest in the topic, "Are you a big fan of hers too?"

The brunette was too curious about what Ingrid had to say. It was just so thrilling for people to talk about the  _ Black Siren _ , hers truly, without any idea of her double identity

From what Dorothea saw last night, she could only assume that Ingrid was a big fan of the  _ Black Siren _ . Near front row seats? She couldn’t just be your average fan! The brunette couldn’t help but smirk as she recalled Ingrid’s expression while she teased her from the stage. It was just too funny!

Dorothea was expecting the girl to give a blush of some sort – something at least! Either fluster up and stammer on about her experience in meeting the celebrity – or even possibly fangirl! Dorothea smirk widens as she couldn't contain her excitement.

Dorothea's anticipating results flung out of the door and burned in the scorching sun.

Ingrid's entire character twisted with exasperation. Her eyebrows scrunched up with annoyance as she let out a quiet groan. "My friend dragged me along to the concert. He wouldn't stop bothering me last minute since our other friends couldn't make it. Didn’t want the ticket to go to waste, I guess."

"Oh. I see," Dorothea said, not knowing how to respond. She blinks, slightly disappointed from Ingrid's lack of enthusiasm. Ingrid must be referring to the red-headed boy that was beside her during the concert. If Dorthea's memory was serving her right, the boy's name was Sylvain Gautier. His reputation was quite known on campus for being a huge flirt and quite the womanizer. Though she never met the man himself, she had seen many pictures of him throughout social media. Both the good and the bad.

However, this begs Dorothea to question. Was Ingrid – this girl with such a high and seemingly sophisticated demeanor, even with just a first impression – really friends with  _ the _ Sylvain?

"Though, I have to say it was fun," Ingrid admitted – her face softening. "I've never been to a concert before, so that was my first time. Not as bad as I thought." 

Dorothea's spirit quickly recovered and bounced back up. Her head perked up curiously. Now, this is what she wanted to hear! Before Dorothea could listen to the rest of Ingrid's experience, the cafe bells rang. Ingrid's eyes lit up, and she beamed towards someone behind the brunette. 

Taking a glance behind her, then fully turning, Dorothea spots the subject of Ingrid’s interest. Through the cafe doors, entered two male students in matching blue soccer uniforms. She recognized one of the boys immediately. With his short fair hair yet horrendously long bangs, she remembers him to be Dimitri. She had seen him around when Dorothea was a freshman around two years ago. He was the step-brother of Edelgard, her roommate in her time back at the Black Eagles dorms. Seeing the boy's face, Dorothea can't help but feel somewhat nostalgic – missing the simpler times of living in a college dorm.  _ As a matter of fact, it has been a long time since Dorothea has even talked to Edelgard. _

Beside Dimitri, stood a shorter man with dark hair that was tied up in a messy bun. His face wore a sour expression as his arms folded over his chest. What was his problem?

The two boys walked closer to the table that Dorthea and Ingrid shared. It seems they were Ingrid's close friends.

"Ingrid!" Dimitri greeted with a friendly smile. 

"I didn't think you'd be here!" Ingrid's lips widen, welcoming her friends. "Oh, I'm here with Dorothea to finally finish up our film history project."

Dimitri took notice of Dorothea and seemed to recognize her immediately. Gawking, he let out a groan and facepalmed with dismay. “ _ That’s _ Dorothea!” He cried out. “I knew the name was familiar. She was Edelgard’s roommate freshman year, but I don’t think I ever got to meet her properly. I’m sorry, Ingrid.” His expression is apologetic.

Ingrid's face softens, "Oh no, Dimitri, it's okay–"

"If I had remembered sooner, I could've got Edelgard on her case–"

Irritated by the inconvenience of explaining, the shorter boy interrupts Dimitri, heaving a heavy scowl. Both blondes turn their attention to him. "Enough!" He barked rudely, not caring that other people around him were starting to stare. A small scene brewing.

Dorothea, amused, raised her eyebrows from the boy's rude outburst. He whips his head toward the brunette's direction. "You!"

The boy's intense gaze worsened with each step he took to get closer to Dorothea. It was as if she was the source of a lifetime’s worth of misery. He leans in, too close for comfort, and lets out a crude growl."I don't care what your sorry excuse is for not doing your part of the project, but if you think you can bribe Ingrid with food and have her do all the work!-"

"Felix!" Ingrid and Dimitri shouted in unison, alarmed at his sudden aggression. Dorothea could see the blondes’ shocked expressions in the corner of her eye.

She focused her attention back on Felix, who was far closer to her face than she would have liked. Dorothea had to hold her breath. The two boys must’ve come back from practice, if their uniforms weren’t enough of a hint, Felix reeked of sweat. She notices the warm amber color of Felix's eyes, contrasting his stone-cold attitude and glare as he challenged her harshly.

While Felix’s stare was obvious, Dorothea could also sense the rest of the cafe, setting their sights on the two of them. They were causing a scene – not exactly how Dorothea wanted to start her day off. Such was life, however, especially if you were accustomed to it. Dorothea was born to put on a show.

Her chair scraped loudly against the cafe floor as she stood up. Felix steps back, still leering at her. Standing her ground, Dorothea could feel every ounce of adrenaline surge throughout her body. It was the same feeling when she was performing live, and she  _ loved _ the sensation of it.

"First off," she exclaims and japs her finger at Felix's chest. Her eyebrows scrunched up, returning a glare to the rude boy. She didn't know a thing about this boy – but to bluntly accuse her like that was crossing the line, especially when he probably knew even less about her. Besides, he also reeked of teenage angst.

"If you think I'd do such a thing, then why is my ass here in the first place!!" Dorothea countered.

She reaches for her notes, her full binder of papers then presents it as if it was a piece of vital evidence to a court case. Dorothea's voice rises, "Yes, I was busy. It was a family emergency. My mother needed me!"

Technically, Dorothea wasn't lying. Though, it was definitely a stretch. Manuela, her manager, was technically her only mother-figure in her entire life. She followed her manager's orders and tasks as an idol. It was her job to do so, and so, her mother needed her. 

"But!" Dorothea's voice echoed across the cafe. "I did not stay up all night and work off my  _ fucking ass _ to catch up with my schoolwork to be treated like this!" She jabs her finger harder on his chest.

"You're so..." Dorothea lost her trail of thought. She looks up at the ceiling to think. Her lips curled up, and she looked back at Felix. "Unsociable. Yes, that's the word! Unsociable!"

Felix stepped back. His eyes widened – filled with shock and amusement as was everyone else in the building. He blinks, taking in what just happened, then sneers at Dorothea. Once again, his distant and stiff eyes meet hers. "Impressive, for someone who ghosted Ingrid forever, you're pretty strong-minded. I respect that."

Felix crossed his arms to his chest and looked away – his face still scrunched up. However, his tensed ambiance seemed to dial down. Dorothea blinks in confusion. She expected retaliation, a rebuttal, a fight, anything. Instead, he just went back to being a bystander to Dimitri and Ingrid, who generally have more prominent social skills.

Her eyes squint at Felix, questioning the soccer player's drastic change of nature.  _ That's it? Was that a test the entire time? Just to prove her worth? _

Soon enough, the cafe's atmosphere toned down as well. Dorothea and Felix no longer shared the spotlight as things seemed to settle down. Murmurs echoed as a couple of remaining strangers glanced over at the two, but they slowly transitioned back to their business. However, it left the four of them in an awkward position. Dimitri eyed his shorter friend while Ingrid hid her face behind her hand with exasperation, pretending to not know them.

Not being able to endure the sheer awkwardness any longer, Dorothea is the first to speak up. She claps her hands together. "Anyways! I did promise Ingrid I'd buy her lunch. I can buy something for her, dear friends too!' She announces, glancing at Ingrid.

"What do you guys want?" Dorothea asks her classmate, then turning to the boys, waiting for their answer.

Before Ingrid could respond, Dimitri frantically waves his hand in panic, being sincere as always. "Oh no, Dorothea, you don't have to!"

"Oh, but I insist! What are your guys' favorite drinks?" She asks with a small hum.

"No, really, Dorothea, You don't ha–" 

Like before, Felix interrupts Dimitri with a scowl. The shorter soccer player whips his attention back to Dorothea and his friends. "Iced black tea for me. The boar will take chamomile." He croaks.

Dorothea's face lightens up at Felix's straightforward and blunt cooperation. He meets Ingrid's gaze. "She'll have the mint tea," His face loosened up, and he let out an uncharacteristically soft chuckle "Ask Ingrid what she wants to eat, there's nothing she would refuse."

Everyone's attention is now on Ingrid, and she tries to hide the tint of pink on her cheeks. "I'll take the smoked bacon and egg sandwich," She answers shyly, pushing her long hair behind her ear. She's too adorable. Dorothea decides to take advantage of the situation.

"Oh! Don't worry, I love girls with a big appetite!" Dorothea says with a charming smile. She then lowers her voice, "If you know what I mean."

Ingrid's face reddens even more, and Dorothea trails away before she could even see more of the blonde's reaction.

Of course, there was a long line at the cafe counter. All the seats were taken with busy students, each working on their own assignments. Coffee shops, tapioca shops, bakeries and more often became busiest when it grew close to finals week. Dorothea shuddered at the thought of exams.

Standing in line, Dorothea reads the menu from afar and decides what she wanted for herself. The smell of alluring pastries grew stronger as Dorothea was closer to the cashier. And the sight of crepes being on the menu catches her attention. That's why it smelled so lovely in here! Crepes could work, it's been a while since she treated herself! She glances at how many people were in front of her and counts –  _ just three more orders _ .

As she stood idly, she almost jumped when she recognized her voice through the cafe's radio speakers. Her hit song was playing throughout the coffee shop. The recognizable melody, alongside her voice, echoed in the cafe. Even if she’s been an idol for just about a year, hearing her own music in public still catches her off guard.

" _ Oh my god, I hate this song. It's everywhere _ ," A girl in front of Dorothea complains to her friend beside her. She rolls her eyes in disgust.

The other girl doesn't even look up from her phone, "The Black Siren is  _ so overrated _ ."

"I know, right? Her singing isn't even good. Oh, Monica! We're up next!"

Both girls scoot up to the cashier to order while Dorothea's stomach twists with hurt.  _ It's okay, Dorothea, you deal with haters every day. _

_ Though hearing the words in person just stung more _ . 

The pair of girls walk off, leaving Dorothea to be first in line. She walks up to the counter. A short boy with smooth chartreuse-green hair with glasses waits behind it. His tag on his apron read, "Ignatz."

"Hello!" Ignatz greets Dorothea with a friendly smile. Pushing up his glasses, he asks, "What would you like today?"

She hums in thought, remembering what the others wanted as she decides what she wants to drink.  _ It wouldn't hurt to drink the usual. _

Dorothea lists what the others wanted first while Ignatz jots down her order on the tablet. "Then I'll have one apple cinnamon crepe and one sweet-apple blend tea, please."

Sometimes being a secret idol was hard, and Dorothea needed to treat herself.

\----

After a few minutes of waiting on the side, Dorothea finally received everyone's drinks and food. She returned to the table with their orders.

Dimitri and Felix finally settled in and sat themselves down – sandwiching Ingrid in the middle of the booth. Everyone slurped their drinks together.

Soon enough, Ingrid starts eating her sandwich. Well, Dorothea couldn't call it eating, probably devouring was the better word.

"Food really is the only thing you think about, huh?" Felix chuckles lightly, watching Ingrid dig in her meal.

Ingrid blinks as everyone watches her with amusement. Covering her mouth, she takes a second to swallow her food. "Hardly! I think about all sorts of things!" Ingrid objects, returning an offended glance to Felix.

Felix lets out another laugh, again so unlike him. He smirks, "Oh? Like tomorrow's menu, for instance?"

Dorothea didn't expect the oh-so-serious boy to joke around. But his response of a comeback was too good. Dorothea and Dimitri burst out laughing, leaving Ingrid flustered.

As their laughing dialed down, Dorothea realized her song was still playing. The music played loudly while the four of them sat together, awkwardly drinking their beverages in silence. 

Dimitri hums the iconic melody. "Speaking of which, how was the concert, Ingrid? Dimitri asks then chuckles, "You should've seen Felix's look when he realized he couldn't make it!" 

This time Ingrid and Dimitri are the ones grinning while Felix's impression sours. The stern boy looks away and mutters, "She sings well. I wanted to go."

Dorothea blinks. She didn't expect Felix – this grouchy and unfriendly boy, to be a devoted fan of hers. She empathizes with her voice loudly and points at Felix, "YOU? You like the Black Siren?"

Ingrid snorted, "He practically fell in love with her when she debuted!"

"I did not!" Felix shouts harshly, his cheeks flushed with pink. Were his ears turning red too?

"Oh, right, right." Ingrid giggles, "Annette is your favorite idol!" The blonde turns to Dorothea and points her thumb at Felix. She announced jokingly, "He may not look like it, but Felix is a huge sucker for idols!"

"Well, to be fair, I don't blame Felix. The Black Siren is certainly talented. I think her entire concept is well done. The fact her identity is kept hidden to allure her fans is pretty interesting." Dimitri explains while Ingrid nods in agreement.

Dorothea bit her lip to stop herself from revealing a wide grin. All of the praise she was receiving from the trio was too much for her... Their words filled her heart from the hate she received moments prior to when she was in line. She felt her spirit soar. It was interactions like these is what motivates her as an idol. Dorothea could honestly tear up if they kept up the compliments. 

Being an idol was exhausting, especially balancing her school work alongside her career. But it still was her passion. She loved being the star of the show. She loved learning new choreography even though they took so much dedication. She especially loved bringing her emotions to life when she composed her songs. But what was most important was the support she received throughout her time being an idol. The genuine love from her fans and supporters is what kept Dorothea walking every day.

Ingrid returns her attention to Dimitri, going back to the topic at hand. "The concert was fun," She answers, pushing her hair behind her ear. "I mean, I didn't want to go in the first place."

"And I did have to keep Sylvain in check most of the time." She sighs, remembering her skirt-chasing friend's behavior. Though her expression quickly changed warmly. "But being at the concert was really exciting! The Black Siren was so close to us! I'm sure you guys would've had fun if you were there!" The blonde explained avidly as the three of them listened in interest.

"T-though, something did happen..." Ingrid sputtered her experience, her cheeks flushing in pink. Both of the boys gazed at her with interest, it wasn't common to see Ingrid in this state. Dorothea eyed the girl curiously, in spite of her most likely knowing where the story was headed. She rests her head in her hands to skillfully hide any smiles her mouth may give away.

"I don't know if I imagined it, but I swore I saw her look directly at me! And then, she winked at me!" Ingrid sheepishly describes her encounter as Dorothea secretly and silently grins.

"Well, I mean, front row seats do have higher chances of interaction," Dimitri pointed out.

Dorothea's grin then forms into a smirk. Taking advantage of the conversion once more, she teases, "My, my Ingrid, maybe you're developing a crush on her?"

Caught off guard, Ingrid's face reddens, her words spluttered while trying to respond to Dorothea's teasing mischief. "Dorothea!" Ingrid shouts, her voice rising an octave

"Oh! I'm sure if you wrote her a fan mail, she wouldn't mind!" Dorothea added, teasing the poor girl even more.

Felix is the one that lets out a laugh, "Hardly! She doesn't know the first thing about romance!"

"Like you can talk, Felix!" Ingrid counters, giving the boy a look.

Dimitri notices his watch and glances over at Felix's direction. "Felix, the soccer meeting is about to start. We should probably head back out now."

Felix nods, and both boys get up from their seats. Ingrid watches them throw their finished drinks away. "Sorry, I can't make it to the meeting, guys," She says disappointedly. 

Dimitri walks back from the trash can. "Oh, it's no problem, Ingrid. You have a legible reason why you can't make it to the meeting," The tall blonde explains, eyeing Dorothea a little too obviously. Dorothea can't help but feel a little bad for taking up Ingrid's time and for being called out indirectly.

His face deadpans, "Sylvain on the other hand..."

"Besides, you already know what the Battle of the Eagle and Lion is all about, anyway."

Oh, the Battle of the Eagle and Lion was coming up! How could Dorothea forget! One of Garreg Mach University's many traditions was to host a soccer game at the end of every school year. The Battle of the Eagle and Lion featured a massive soccer match between the three different dorm houses. However, it was always the Black Eagle and Blue Lion dorms playing it off, while the Golden Deer dorms helped organize the event. 

Dorothea remembered watching the game last year... She'd watch and support her friends, Edelgard and Petra, play against the other dorm. Being a part of the cheering and screaming crowd felt extraordinary. Just being a part of the event and tradition was something so surreal! Though, Dorothea does think the naming of the event is a bit too extreme. But what does she know? She never bothered to learn about the history of the school anyways.

"The meeting is mostly for the newcomers and freshmen, so don't worry!”

Dimitri turns to face Dorothea, and his face softens, ever the gentleman. "But anyways, thank you for the drinks, Dorothea! You didn't have to, really."

Dorothea swats her hand through the air dismissively. "Oh, no! It's the best I could do to make it up for Ingrid!"

Felix stands next to Dimitri and gives her a dirty look. "I'm watching you," He says to Dorothea, glaring down at her. She rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I know!"

The four of them bid their farewells, and as the girls waved them goodbye, Dorothea sneaks a glance at Ingrid. “The two of them are quite charming, aren’t they?”

"I guess?" Ingrid responds her attention now on her schoolwork now. She places her laptop in front of her. The white light shines a little too brightly on her face, she squints.

"Oh? Which one has caught your eye then?"

Ingrid looks up towards Dorothea and grimaces. Her face scrunches with disgust then returns her attention to her laptop.

"You have to admit, they're pretty cute. Though I'd understand if you're not interested in Felix, he's a feisty one. But Dimitri, on the other hand..."

Typing away on the keyboard, Ingrid doesn’t bother to look up as she responds. She’s had this conversation more times than she can count."I've known them ever since we were kids. I've always considered them like my brothers to me. Nothing more than that."

Dorothea rolls her eyes. Of course, Ingrid would say that. She seemed like the studious and “I’m not like other girls, I read books!” type anyway, not really interested in boys. Dorothea glances at her belongings and takes out her notebooks filled with last night's notes and reminders as well as the binder she had previously presented as evidence in her argument with Felix.

"Okay, so I was thinking about featuring Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau's  _ Nosferatu  _ in the video," Dorothea says, now focusing on their project. She points at her written notes and shows them to Ingrid.

Ingrid’s kind green eyes concentrated on Dorothea’s handwriting. Her expression was so engrossed and tense, Dorothea couldn’t help but stare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope we can all agree that Felix would be an overprotective friend of Ingrid's and will murder anyone who brings her distress. Sorry if his argument with Dorothea seemed anticlimactic, but sometimes it just be like that. I also try to throw in some dialogue references into the story, just for shit and giggles.
> 
> I've actually finished this chapter for a while. The reason why it took so long to update was my friend was taking a while to beta-read and edit. However, I really don't want to bug her 24/7. So no beta we die like Glenn. However, if she does beta-read later then I'll update the chapter with her revisions! I'll try to update once a week!
> 
> I've also noticed I'm having more characters mentioned or referenced while I'm planning out my story, so I'll edit the tags as I write!
> 
> Edit: I just updated this chapter with my friend's editing and revisions! I think I'm going to post a chapter with her edits for now on, so sorry for late updates.
> 
> Anyway, stay safe everyone, thank you for taking the time to read this.  
> Twitter: @Lynnndias


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't been consistent with my updates. I do apologize for that. School has been eating up my time lately. Thankfully, I'm finally on break now! I actually wrote this around October but never had the time to upload it! I'll definitely finish this story before I start school, though! Frequent updates ahead!

"Ah!" Dorothea cried out, stretching her arms up as she felt her joints crack. Both Ingrid and Dorothea have been working on the project together at the Silver Snow cafe for what felt like ages. Comparing notes to sharing Ingrid’s laptop to MLA citing, they were nearly done with the project!

Ingrid looks up to meet Dorothea's eyes as she stretches but doesn't respond. She was savoring Dorothea’s unfinished crepe. For some reason, Dorothea explained that her favorite dessert was too sweet for her, Ingrid doesn’t really understand, but she’s not complaining.

"Mm-hmm," Ingrid answered, focusing back on the crepe now. She accidentally digs in too far in as whip cream meets her nose, taking in the smell of sugary sliced apples on the dessert.

Ingrid was no culinary expert, but she appreciated all sorts of food. The sweet apple with cinnamon syrup made a powerful combination of a crepe that surely made Ingrid smile with every single bite. Her tastebuds filled with sugary bliss that Ingrid hasn’t had for a long time.

The blonde heard Dorothea let out a soft laugh. It wasn’t until Ingrid was nearly done with the crepe that she finally noticed Dorothea watching her in awe. Trying not to grin, Dorothea points at her nose. “You got a little something there.”

Embarrassed, Ingrid quickly grabs a napkin to wipe her nose and then her mouth. She feels a bit of heat flush through her cheeks. Awkwardly, Ingrid admits, “Sorry, as the boys said. I have quite an appetite.”

“No, kidding,” Dorothea agrees, letting out another giggle.

She tries to change the topic as innocently as possible, “Are you sure you don’t want any?”

"Oh, no! It's fine, " Dorothea confirms, swatting her hand through the air. "It's too sweet for me."

Dorothea tries to bring her attention back to the laptop. But it's not like she could do much as of the moment since all they needed to do was record their voice-overs and edit the video presentation.

Nearly giving both girls a heart attack, Dorothea’s phone rings. Digging through her bag, she finally finds her phone.

Ingrid overhears Dorothea’s conversation, but it’s not like she’s trying to. She finishes up the rest of her free crepe as she waits patiently.

“Manuela, you do realize it’s my _day off_ ,” Dorothea sighs with her phone up at her ear.

“Mm-hmm,” The brunette hums, “Yes, I’m done. I think I can do it today.”

Ingrid blinks, somewhat curious about her partner’s phone call. She nearly jumps out of her seat when Dorothea shouts in shock.

“Right now!?” Dorothea exclaims, quickly gathering her things in her bag. Ingrid tries her best to assist her partner in cleaning up. “Okay! Okay! I’m on the way!” Dorothea cries out and hangs up on the phone call. Her chair scrapes against the cafe floor as she hurries to leave.

In a rush, Dorothea repeatedly thanks Ingrid while apologizing as well at the same time. “I’m so so sorry, Ingrid,” Dorothea babbled, “I have quick…”

The brunette pauses for a second and mutters something Ingrid couldn’t quite hear well.

“It’s okay! I’m sure it’s really important if you have to go all of a sudden.”

Having empathy, Ingrid smiles shyly and says, “Good luck on whatever it is! I can handle cleaning up the table for you. Go on ahead!”

She scans the table to see if her partner forgot anything else as Ingrid gets up from her table.

Again, Dorothea thanks Ingrid and continues to stammer on her words.

“Oh! I’ll edit the record the voice overs for sure tonight! Don’t forget to send yours tonight too!”

Ingrid gazes Dorothea with a rather stern look. Taking a step closer to her partner, Ingrid puts her hand on Dorothea’s shoulder. “I understand, now go,” She affirmed, then giving Dorothea a light push.

“Okay! Okay! I’ll go now!” Dorothea cries out, bolting through the cafe doors then scrambling to her right. The doorbell rang loudly as she did so.

Letting out a sigh, Ingrid watches the brunette until she’s out of her sight. Eyeing the table once more, Ingrid double-checks if Dorothea has forgotten anything. Good, she hasn’t.

“HEY!” A female voice shrieked, and Ingrid heard the doorbell chime again.

Like the many students around her, Ingrid turns around to the outburst. To her surprise, it was Dorothea!

Having pushed a frowning girl with long pink pigtails aside, Dorothea, who barged in, and at the cafe doors once more. “Ingrid! I’ll handle everything! I’ll edit the video! You record, and you can relax!” She shouted in the cafe. “Text me!” Then off, Dorothea went.

Curious eyes laid on Ingrid, and she didn’t enjoy the attention at all. Especially when the fair-pink-haired girl glared at Ingrid and rolled her eyes, then walking away.

Ingrid blinked and glanced at her watch. The soccer meeting shouldn’t be over, maybe Ingrid can make it in time!

Quickly but timely, she puts up her belongings and cleans up the table Dorothea and her shared together. Unable to help it, she also picks up the trash on a table near hers. One of her biggest pet peeves was when people couldn’t pick up after themselves.

Walking out of doors, Ingrid wonders what was so important that Dorothea has to attend immediately.

* * *

The soccer meeting wasn’t that bad as Ingrid enjoyed being a mentor towards the freshmen. While she was still late, Ingrid still managed to assist the newcomers’ questions and comfort their anxieties about the Battle of the Eagle and Lion. Not only that, she even helped the Golden Deer plan out their organization (and scolded Claude for procrastinating as well) for the big game.

The soccer gathering ended up being longer than it initially intended to be since all three dorm teams wanted to kick a couple of balls for some practice. And also, because apparently, a couple of freshmen were watching a live interview with the _Black Siren_ on _AshenFeed_. Sylvain, who had come in late as well, did not hesitate at all to stream the interview on the meeting projector. Most of everyone ended up watching the live stream together.

The interview had the _Black Siren_ answering fan viewers' questions live while also cuddling and playing around with cute little puppies. Of course, everyone wanted to watch it while trying to see if the idol would answer their posted questions.

Oh well, as long everyone was having fun and enjoying themselves, that was the _purpose_ of the annual event. However, that meant Ingrid was walking back to her dorm late at night.

Mercedes, Ingrid’s roommate, is probably still attending her night classes that her childhood friends shared. So Ingrid was returning home alone.

Finally making it inside the Blue Lions dorms, Ingrid strolls through the many long hallways, getting closer to her dorm room.

The sound of Ingrid unzipping her bag echoed through the quiet dorm halls as she looks for her wallet, which carried her ID card key to her room.

Ingrid pats inside her backpack and only feels a long and flat object. Right, that’s her laptop. Her hand checks behind and meets papers and alongside Ingrid’s school books.

_Huh?_

Ingrid could feel the unease worry pipe up through her body. Her heart beats a second faster as she paps through her bag once more. She could’ve sworn she put her wallet in her bag. _Unless that’s what Ingrid believed so._

This time Ingrid actually looks inside the bag, and likewise, she only sees her laptop and her notes. Trying the other pockets on her bag, Ingrid finds only her pencil bag and a gum wrapper that she meant to throw out. Without haste, she digs through her pencil bag for her wallet.

Just pencils and pens, no wallet.

“Eh?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts?
> 
> Twitter: @Lynnndias


	4. Chapter 4

Nothing could describe the sheer amount of panic that flooded through Ingrid’s body. Her worries increased as she scrambled through her bag to find her most valuable possession. Many thoughts ran through her head, and she imagined the worst possibilities.

Would she have to freeze and cancel her debit and credit cards? It would take forever to replace her IDs and her many other forms of identification. What about her cash? It’s not like she had much in her wallet, but it was still her money! Oh, how could she be so careless?

Even though Ingrid’s heart was accelerating, she closed her eyes to ease herself – trying to remain tranquil and stable. Deep breathes now. In and out.

While her eyes were still shut, Ingrid tried to recall her entire day. Thinking back, she remembers her time with Dorothea at the cafe. Then she was at the soccer meeting within the university’s locker and athletic rooms. Ingrid tried to recollect the last time she used her wallet or her ID.

Ingrid exhales loudly with a deep sigh, still shaken and worried about her wallet.

“Looking for this?” A familiar voice spoke out within the quiet dorm hallways.

Ingrid quickly opened her eyes, which were greeted by a familiar set of artful green eyes that belonged to…

“Dorothea!” Ingrid exclaimed, recognizing her partner, who slowly approached Ingrid while playfully holding Ingrid’s wallet between her delicate fingers.

Meeting her gaze, the brunette let out a soft laugh. “You know, Ingrid. If you really wanted to see me that badly, you could’ve just said so,” Dorothea teased with an inviting wink.

“I...uh…” Ingrid sputtered on her words from Dorothea’s toying. She could feel the familiar rise of heat rush through her face. Trying to recollect herself, Ingrid fixes her gaze elsewhere, and her eyes trailed towards the brunette’s glossy lips. Fixating on her lips, Ingrid notes that the  _ alluring  _ rose red lipstick suited Dorothea alongside her makeup.

Ingrid blinked quickly to clear the thought and grabbed her wallet from Dorothea with haste. Her sight laid eyes on the other woman’s  _ revealing _ dark outfit. Dorothea looked like a dark yet captivating black rose, luring in any person that dared to glance at her. The blonde was trying to be considerate and earnest, trying her best efforts to not stare. However, she couldn’t help but note the brunette’s breast size.

_ Wait a second. _

Hasn’t Ingrid seen this familiar blouse dress before? She could’ve sworn she had.

Tilting her head, Dorothea teasingly questions Ingrid. “Do you like what you see?”

Flustered, while a bit exasperated, Ingrid hastily shrugs off her thought of Dorothea’s remarking apparel. She doesn’t comment on her partner's jest. Swiftly, Ingrid digs through her wallet and double-checks each card slot for safe measures. Sighing with relief, Ingrid feels the burden and worries off her shoulders. Everything in her wallet was where it was supposed to be, including her ID card to let her into her dorm.

“God, I can’t thank you enough, Dorothea.”

Dorothea swatted the air, brushing Ingrid's gratitude off. “Well, technically, it was my fault; I was in such a hurry that I accidentally took your wallet when I left the cafe. Sorry I couldn’t text you about it.”

The brunette paused for a moment, her eyes glanced up at the ceiling for thought, and then continued her side of the exchange. “I was caught up with things and couldn’t use my phone.”

Nodding and still meeting Dorothea’s gaze, Ingrid opens her dorm room with muscle memory. She continues to listen to her classmate.

“Once, when I was finally done, I checked your wallet and your ID. Your ID dorm key says where you live.”

Dorothea scrunches up her eyebrows and makes a disturbed face.

“Well, that sounds creepy, when you think about it…”

Ingrid lets out a chuckle and notices Dorothea’s expression loosen. The blonde’s door creaked open, echoing across the hallway when she pushed open the door; it was then that Ingrid realized that both girls may be disturbing her fellow neighboring hallmates.

Still going on, Dorothea moves her hands in the air, explaining, “I figured I’d try to give it to you in person first before texting you.”

Walking through the doorway and into her dorm room, Ingrid kindly interrupts Dorothea’s rambling, “Well, I still have to thank you, either way, Dorothea.”

After setting her backpack down, Ingrid turns towards Dorothea, who was peeking through the blonde’s doorway, hesitant if she was allowed in.

Ingrid gestures her hands towards Dorothea, signaling that she was welcome. “Come in! I can at least let you hang out here after what you’ve done for me.”

Now silent, Dorothea nodded and slowly advanced her way in. Curiously, her eyes wandered around Ingrid’s dorm.

Ingrid’s room had a bunk bed on one side of the room, two desks on the other side for both Ingrid and her roommate, Mercedes, and other essential things required to live and study in college.

The blonde quickly scans her room, cursing herself in her head. She hasn’t really cleaned or prepared her room for guests to visit. Hopefully, Dorothea doesn’t think wrongly of Ingrid’s place – even though both Ingrid and Mercedes like to be tidy and clean with their living space.

Dorothea caught sight of the small brown bag that sat in the corner of Ingrid’s room. The bag displayed a picture of a cat posed in the cutest possible way. She raises an eyebrow and gives Ingrid a questioning glance. “Didn’t take you as a cat person.”

Ingrid blinked; she nearly forgot about Felix’s cat food in her room. She was quick to acknowledge, “Oh, I almost forgot I had that in here. I don’t have a cat.”

Smiling while explaining, Ingrid adds, “Felix is the cat person. He likes to feed the strays around here. I forgot he left his food here.”

Dorothea’s expression gaped with amusement. “That’s interesting. I didn’t take him as an animal lover, you know?”

“I don’t think anybody would,” Ingrid chuckled.

The two then awkwardly stood in Ingrid’s room together as Dorothea observed the unfamiliar setting. Ingrid curses herself again in her head for not knowing what to say. She tries her best.

“Would you like a drink?” Ingrid asks, gesturing her hand towards the mini-fridge that both Mercedes and Ingrid shared.

Dorothea pulls her gaze from her exploration to unite her eyes with Ingrid’s. “Oh, sure. Do you have water?”

Ingrid nods and walks her way towards the mini-fridge. With speed, Ingrid grabs one of the many water bottles in the fridge. The cold plastic water bottle meets her warm hand. Turning around, Ingrid hands the bottle to Dorothea, and both of them can hear the fridge door close with a “plop” sound.

“You can have a seat on my bed,” Ingrid insisted, pointing at her own bed.

Both girls took a seat at one end of the bed. Dorothea, who looked like she was struggling to open the water bottle, gives Ingrid a nervous laugh. Ingrid nodded and accepted her partner’s invitation to open the bottle.

The bottle let out a loud “creak” sound as Ingrid turned the plastic cap open. She could feel the rough bottle cap run through her fingers.

“So, how’re finals holding up for you?” Ingrid asked, returning the bottle to Dorothea. Ingrid herself was not much of a talker, so hopefully, the shared topic of finals and school could help ease the painful silence.

Accepting the water bottle, Dorothea forms a tired expression on her face. “I have so many left to study for, she sighs with her eyes closed, “I’ve been really busy lately, and it’s been hard to balance out my life.”

Opening her eyes, they were met by Ingrid’s. Dorothea smiles towards Ingrid as if she sparked a little hope in her life. She adds, “Well, at least I’m done with one final since we finished up that film history project together. What about you?”

Ingrid takes the time to think and recollect her memories. Her eyes strayed elsewhere, a bit overwhelmed with Dorothea’s gaze. “Our project is my last final. I have to worry about it.”

Dorothea gaped with envy. “Lucky you!”

The brunette finally takes a gulp from her water bottle and lets out a sigh when doing so.

“I still have the Battle of the Eagle and Lion to worry about, though,” Ingrid points out.

Dorothea nods while drinking her water bottle. After another gulp, Dorothea finally responds,” That’s right! I almost forgot about that! Once everyone is done with grades and finals, there’s that!”

“How was the soccer meeting? Did you make it?” Dorothea shyly asked with an apologetic and weak smile.

“Oh! I made it!”

“Though, we could've been more productive if it wasn’t for Sylvain and the freshmen watching the  _ Black Siren’s  _ live interview,” Ingrid grumbled.

“Oh…” Dorothea awkwardly responded, whose head was looking down her lap. She was toying with the water bottle in her hands.

Ingrid blinked, noticing Dorothea's change of behavior. Unsure of how she offended her fellow classmate, Ingrid quickly tries to encourage the conversation. “It was fun, though; it was nice to see everyone having such a good time. The puppies were adorable. I enjoy seeing those types of interviews...it’s interesting.”

“You think so?” Dorothea lifted her head a bit.

“Yeah! We all were trying to post the same question to see if the  _ Black Siren _ would respond to our live questions in her Q&A!” Now having eye contact with Dorothea, Ingrid curiously asks, “Did you watch the live stream as well? You seem to be the type that would be into the  _ Black Siren _ .”

Ingrid raised an eyebrow, remembering Dorothea’s plans. “Unless you were busy…”

Dorothea’s ears perked, now invested in the conversation at hand. Ingrid could only assume that the brunette was a fan of the 180-degree change of expression. “Well, I wouldn’t say I’m a fan, but I’ve listened to some of her albums. Her recent songs are really  _ catchy _ to  _ sing,  _ though!”

“I couldn’t watch the live stream interview, though…” Dorothea sulked.

_ BEEP BEEP! _

Dorothea nearly jumped from Ingrid’s bed in sheer panic. She looks down at her phone to see a text, then grumbling, “Speak of the devil…”

“More family things?” Ingrid assumed, getting up from the bed with Dorothea.

“You could say so.”

“Would you like some more water to take with you then?” Ingrid offered once more, glancing down at Dorothea’s almost empty water bottle.

Dorothea shakes her head, declining Ingrid’s offer. “I have to get going! My mother needs me…”

Understanding with much empathy, Ingrid hurries her way to the entrance door to dismiss her guest. As she reached for the doorknob, the door opened up. Ingrid stumbles back with reflex, avoiding getting hit by the wooden door. While doing so, Ingrid loses her balance and nearly falls back. A pair of arms catch Ingrid’s balance from behind.

“Ingrid? Was that you? Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hit you!” A familiar voice cried out through the doorway. The voice belonged to Mercedes, Ingrid’s roommate, who looked as elegant and mother-like as ever with her long hair and cardigan as she entered the dorm room.

“Oh, you bought a friend over!” Mercedes exclaimed, clapping her hands together in excitement.

Before Ingrid could respond and introduce Dorothea herself, she internally wants to scream. It was just Ingrid's luck that she tripped backward and into Dorothea’s arms.

“Are you okay?” Dorothea asked from behind, reassuring that the blonde wasn’t hurt.

“Y-yes!” Ingrid sputtered on her response. Seconds felt like minutes being in Dorothea’s arms. She wasn’t used to being so close to anybody like this before, and Dorothea’s scent wasn’t making it much better. Ingrid had smelled Dorothea’s scent before at the cafe, but not so up close. But being this close with Dorothea, Ingrid could lavish the remarkable and disparate scent that Ingrid couldn’t really describe.

Jumping out of Dorothea’s hands, Ingrid could feel the sweltering and familiar heat rise up in her ears. “Welcome back, Mercedes!” Ingrid greeted as her voice accidentally reached an octave higher. How many times does Ingrid have to curse herself in her head today?

“This is Dorothea! My film history partner! She returned my wallet to me.” Ingrid introduced Dorothea to Mercedes, gesturing her hand towards the brunette and to her roommate. The blonde did her best to compose herself.

Tilting her head and matching Dorothea’s gaze, “Hello, Dorothea. I’m Mercedes, Ingird’s roommate. It’s a pleasure to meet you. You rarely see Ingrid invite a girl over, so you must be special then!”

Ingrid swore her heart shattered when Dorothea formed a sly smirk. “Interesting…” Dorothea noted. 

Thank God Dorothea didn’t push it any further.

“Well, then! I have to get going!” Dorothea announced, taking her eyes off of Ingrid. She faced Mercedes and radiated an amiable smile. “It was lovely getting to meet you, Mercedes.”

Dorothea holds out her hand and offers a handshake to Mercedes.

“Oh, don’t be afraid to stop by!” Mercedes reminded, taking Dorothea’s hand as both girls shook hands.

“I won’t! I’m sure Ingie here would miss me!” Dorothea eagerly teased, per usual.

Ingrid sighs with exasperation, her hand meeting her face. Why must this classmate of hers poke fun of her so much?

Another text pings from Dorothea’s phone, and she quickly glances at the notification.

“I really gotta go. I’ll catch you guys next time!” Dorothea cries out while dashing out of the doorway with haste. Her footsteps from her heels echoed from afar. Both Ingrid and Mercedes wait till the soft stomping ends.

“There she goes…” Ingrid muttered. That girl was always in such a rush. Ingrid wonders what is keeping Dorothea so busy in general.

Mercedes hummed, “She seems lovely, doesn’t she? You said she was your partner for your project?”

Ingrid nodded. That’s right. She still needed to record her voice lines for the project tonight and send them over for Dorothea to finish up. To think, Ingrid thought she finally had time for herself to relax. Ingrid clutches her fists and couldn’t help but be curious about what Dorothea was up to. She ignores her racing heartbeat.

* * *

Ingrid was in a good mood this morning. To start, the weight of finals and school assignments finally lifted from her shoulders after she recorded her lines last night for her last final project. Second of all, Ingrid just came back from her morning jog, and she felt energized with adrenaline, which felt nice.

Following her morning routine, Ingrid was in the university’s library after taking a shower. She could finally catch up with the many novels that she wanted to read within her free time. After gathering her books, Ingrid wanders around for a table to settle down. The many tables were rarely filled with other students.

Likewise, the library was always quiet in the mornings. Much to her pleasure, Ingrid enjoyed the ambient silence, which allowed her to read in peace.

However, something catches her eye. A woman with her head against the table with many textbooks around her. The familiar brown-brunette hair was too familiar...could it be?

Ingrid quietly paces towards the sleeping student with her books in her hands. Her instincts were correct! It was Dorothea. The sight was something to see. Dorothea, who Ingrid had to guess was cramping for finals, was slumped on the library table. Soft snoring came from the brunette...and was that drool coming from her mouth?

Ingrid raises her eyebrow in interest and tries her best not to chuckle at the sight. She can’t decide whatever to let Dorothea rest in peace or to wake her partner up. Instead, Ingrid takes the seat across from Dorothea at the same table and gazes towards Dorothea. Ingrid would say that Dorothea would look like a sleeping beauty with how soothing and relaxed the girl looked while asleep. However, the sight of her drool sort of ruined the scenery.

Again, Ingrid debates with herself if she should wake up the overworked Dorothea. Ingrid decides against it and proceeds to read her backlog of novels that she has wanted to read.

But first… Let’s check Ingrid’s phone first. Scrolling through social media notifications, Ingrid accidentally opens up one of the following apps. The first post to show up on her feed is a post from the  _ Black Siren _ .

_ thank you @AshenFeed for having me for their live interview! _

The post was followed up with photoshoots of the idol with her iconic mask that covered her identity. Her many puppies were featured in the photo from the live stream that premiered yesterday.

From a distance, the university bells chimed from afar, signaling that an hour had passed. The recognizable motif from the bells echoed across campus. Startling Dorothea, she whips her head awake and lets out a yelp. The sudden burst nearly gives Ingrid a heart attack as she lightly drops her phone down the table from her hand.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.”

Still drowsy from her sleep, Dorothea rubs her eyes. “W-what time is it?”

“It’s 10 o'clock.”   


Now would be a good time to ask Dorothea. “Do you have any finals right now?”

Not fully awake still, Dorothea comprehends her surroundings and the time. She takes a minute to think and stares down Ingrid with a deadpan gaze.

Ingrid, a little uncomfortable with the staredown, hopes the best for Dorothea and that she didn’t oversleep for any of her major exams.

Finally, Dorothea says something, “Oh! No, my final starts tonight. Thank God I didn’t oversleep.”

Relief trails down Ingrid as she sighs. She lets out a little chuckle and jests, “You drool, by the way.”

Dorothea gawked with embarrassment. It looks like she doesn't know what to say. For once, Ingrid was able to tease the cheery girl.

Ingrid quickly decides to change the topic and empathize with Dorothea.

“I’m guessing you’re cramming for finals then?”

“Sadly,” The girl replies with a sigh.

Ingrid lets out a laugh. “Pretend I’m not here then. Refocus on your studying then!”

Dorothea nods and returns to concentrating on her notes. However, it doesn’t take long for her to glance up towards the blonde.

“What are you doing here, though? Here to see me again?”

Ingrid ignores Dorothea’s advances and answers her first question. “I always read in the library in the morning. It’s a part of my morning routine.”

“Dork…” Dorothea mutters, rolling her eyes towards the ceiling and back to Ingrid.

With full offense to the playful remark, Ingrid wants to protest. She stops herself when she realizes Dorothea is on auto-pilot, now focused on her studying and textbooks.

Ingrid then decides to do the same and lavish herself within her novels. However, as Ingrid reads about a knightly demi-god rescuing his beloved family of friends, she couldn’t help but peek a glance towards the hard-earnest eyes that belonged to Dorothea’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Consist updates, woo!
> 
> Catch me @Lynndias on Twitter!


	5. Chapter 5

It has been about a couple of hours since Ingrid has left Dorothea studying in the library. She had wished the girl luck on her upcoming final exam. Ingrid was now waiting patiently on the soccer field’s benches. It was always a routine that she arrived ten minutes early before practice. Admittedly, it was satisfying to see everyone slowly show up and see the number of teammates grow right before her.

Not in the mood to read the current book Ingrid was reading (the story was starting to become dull), she decides to scroll through social media on her phone. Glancing downwards toward her phone, Ingrid swipes up constantly through her feed, hoping for something within the mists of the internet that would entertain her for the time being.

“Is that the _Ingrid Brandl Galatea_?” A familiar jesty voice exclaimed.

Without hesitation, Ingrid rolls her eyes and looks up in the direction of the owner's voice. She could recognize those friendly amber-brown eyes from anywhere. The set of eyes belonged to Sylvain. Surprisingly, the ginger-boy was suited up in a blue uniform and actually looked ready for the occasion of soccer practice. His relaxed arms rested behind his head as he approached Ingrid.

“Sylvain? Wow. You’re actually early for practice for once!” Ingrid remarked with shock. _Wait a second._ She tilts her head in question. There has to be a catch with her childhood friend’s responsible acts. Her eyebrows scrunch up in a mess, confused on whether to frown or to question the man.

Sylvain, who already realizes what Ingrid is thinking, raises his hands up defensively as a defense. “My dearest friend! I just happened to wake up on the right side of the bed!”

Strolling his way closer to Ingrid, Sylvain plops himself beside her. He eyes down Ingrid’s phone screen sincerely. With much joy within his voice, Sylvain explains, “I’d figured I better up my game for the upcoming _Battle of the Eagle and Lion_.”

Sylvain uses his index finger to swipe and scroll through Ingrid’s phone while holding it with one hand. He notices a post and meets her gaze, asking for approval. She glances down and sees the post by a shared companion that both Sylvain and Ingrid knew of. Ingrid nods with consent, and Sylvain double-taps the phone screen. A heart pops up in the middle of the screen, indicating that Ingrid “liked” the following post.

As the red-headed engaged his attention to Ingrid’s social media feed, Ingrid acknowledges his well-behaved actions. “ I’m glad you’re doing your part for the team.”

She then grumbles, “Well, you were supposed to do that in the first place.”

Ingrid sighs as the boy was off in his own world, browsing Ingrid’s feed. At least Sylvain isn’t skipping practice, per usual. Though, to be fair, the Battle of the Eagle and Lion was an important last match. Both Ingrid and Sylvain knew that the team didn’t want to lose again this year.

_Ding!_

Sylvain and Ingrid both quickly glance at the top of the phone screen when the notification chimed. It was a text message from Dorothea.

Eagerly, Sylvain swipes the phone from Ingrid’s grip, alarming her. 

“Hey!”

He puts his hand on Ingrid’s face, preventing her from being able to reach her phone as he lightly nudges her away. Ingrid knows that he’s skimming and snooping her texts with Dorothea.

With interest in his snarky voice, Sylvain cries out, “I didn’t know you spoke with _Dorothea_!”

His eyebrows raise along with his gleeful grin, giving Ingrid his smile of approval. “Dude, she’s like one of the hottest chicks on campus. You interested in her?”

Feeling quite the opposite of Sylvain’s excitement, Ingrid scowls at her friend’s idiotic assumptions. Though she hopes that her blush forming on her face wasn’t too apparent for Sylvain to notice.

“Aw, look at you! You’re blushing!” Sylvain does exactly what Ingrid hoped he would not do.

“I am not! _She’s just my film history partner_!” Ingrid growls between the grit of her teeth. “Give me back my phone!”

Sylvain’s eyes scan Ingrid’s phone, he proceeds to read Dorothea’s recent message out loud for the world to hear. “‘Oh, I forgot to show you the video I edited for the final project! I emailed it to you if you want to see it!’”

“Wow! She even put a kissy wink emoji and a heart,” Sylvain added. He looks over his shoulder and gives a questioning yet teasing look. “You sure you’re not interested in her?”

“That’s just her personality,” Ingrid grumbles under her breath, still fighting for her phone from Sylvain. Every time Ingrid has an open opportunity to snatch back her phone, Sylvain seems to be a step ahead of her. He dodges her advances and pounces as she tries to continuously reach for her device.

Still on her phone, Sylvain exclaims loudly, “I know! How about you invite Dorothea to the _Battle of the Eagle and Lion!_ ”

“Wh-”

After announcing his idea, the invested boy quickly types away from a response to Dorothea without Ingrid’s permission. “HEY!” She shouted with disapproval, “SYLVAIN!”

This time Ingrid uses all her strength to take back her cellphone. Knowing that she would retaliate, Sylvain swiftly side-steps from the bench to run away. He races his way around the soccer field. Trying not to trip from running and texting, he cries out aloud, “Damn! Where’s the heart emoji!?”

“SYLVAIN!”

Ingrid sprints, hunting her childhood friend down. The cleats from her soccer shoes slightly dig into the grass, but that doesn’t stop her from wanting to chase the happy-go-lucky Sylvain who was invading her text messages. While she was running around the soccer field after Sylvain, the rest of the _Blue Lions_ team was slowly showing up. They all watch the chase down with interest as Ingrid shouts Sylvain’s name down the field.

“Done!” Sylvain cries out, halting from his running. It doesn’t take a moment for Ingrid to stop beside him. Both of them were a little out of breath; she could feel a little sweat form at the back of her head. However, this doesn’t stop Ingrid from snatching her phone away from Sylvain. She quickly scans the damage he has done to her phone. She reads the text that Sylvain messaged to Dorothea under Ingrid’s identity:

_Hey! Are you coming to watch the Battle of the Eagle and Lion? I think you should watch me play. I’ll definitely win if you’re watching me! 💕💘_

Ingrid could feel the heat rising from her ears to her cheeks. Ambivalent emotions spiraled through her head. Ingrid’s eyebrows scrunch up at the beaming Sylvain, and she quickly glances back at her phone. She grips her empty hand, and her knuckles pop due to her sheer annoyance.

_Ding!_

Before she could even snap at her cheeky-childhood friend, Ingrid’s heart drops when she hears her phone go off. Dorothea must’ve replied.

Sylvain, who was about to run his life like a squirrel, tilts his head curiously. His attention wanders towards Ingrid's phone in her hand. “So?”

Hesitant and half-hearted in checking her phone, Ingrid looks away from her phone. She doesn’t know why her heart was beating so fast. Why was Ingrid so nervous? It was simply another text.

Ignoring Sylvain’s pestering and encouragement, Ingrid anxiously unlocks her phone with a swipe. Much to Ingrid’s dismay and expectations, it was Dorothea that responded to Ingrid’s uncharacteristic text.

Opening the chat up, Ingrid’s eyes widen, increasing Sylvain’s interest. “What did she say?” He repeatedly asked, acting like a needy child. At this point, the entire team would be able to notice Ingrid’s embarrassment.

Dorothea sent a selfie of herself; she was dressed in glossy scarlet-red that made her radiate more than ever. Her brunette hair was so stylish, and Ingrid could tell it has been worked on with how it curled so pristinely. She posed an endearing yet iconic wink that she loved doing to tease Ingrid. The longer the blonde stared at Dorothea's photo, the more captivating she was. Her eyes trail down underneath the image. Dorothea was currently typing. Ingrid patiently waited on edge for the other woman’s upcoming text as the bubbling message was generating.

_oh my gosh! I’d thought you’d never ask! I think I can make it~ I’ll be your personal cheerleader!!! What time does it start?_

A second text follows up, and Ingrid wants to scream after reading it.

_If you win, I’ll give you a reward! 😘💕_

Never had she felt the burning sensation spread from her cheeks to her back. Dorothea’s double text causes Ingrid to sit down in the middle of the soccer field. She doesn’t care about the team’s concerned questions. Her head is in her hands, and she can feel her heartbeat pounding in her chest out of pure anxiety.

* * *

Within the dressing room, Dorothea could hear the massive audience chanting for the _Black Siren_. Dorothea could feel the recognizable adrenaline through her body as she prepared for tonight’s concert. While the make-up artists pap her face down, Dorothea worries about how she did on her final. She was currently looking down her phone, staring down her grades, and refreshing the page. God, when will her professor add in the exam grade?!

Dorothea’s thoughts are interrupted when she receives an unexpecting text from Ingrid.

Reading the text message, Dorothea raises one eyebrow. It was rather bold and out of character of Ingrid to openly flirt with the brunette with ease. It’s not like Dorothea enjoyed the invitation, but it questioned that Ingrid was behaving like this. Though, the idol decides to play along.

Thank God for the vanity lights for the perfect lighting and setting for Dorothea to take a selfie. Her dearest make-up artists take the time to scoot away, allowing the idol to take her picture. Dorothea tucks her hair behind her ear and pulls up the camera on her phone. Posing many times while clicking on the camera button, Dorothea earnestly positions herself in her seat. She was careful to not expose her environment or her identity.

After the numerous selfies, Dorothea scans her phone for the best photo to send to Ingrid. Constantly swiping left and right and even asking her co-workers for their opinion. She finally settles down with the perfect photo to send to Ingrid; sent! Now it was time to proceed with her response to Ingrid’s invitation.

The idol looks up at the ceiling, trying to remember when the soccer game started. If Dorothea remembered correctly, it should be this weekend. Just to be sure with her schedule, Dorothea cries out for her manager, Manuela.

Manuela, who was currently occupied with other stage members, whips her head towards Dorothea. She was dressed in a clean white dress with a matching ginger feather boa around her neck, reminding Dorothea how bold and iconic the manager was with her outfits. Her headpiece rested near her glossy lips, always there for her to communicate with the rest of the team that made the _Black Siren_ even possible. Manuela trails her way towards the sitting Dorothea with her clipboard in hand. Her focused and concentrated gaze doesn’t escape the idol’s sight.

“Yes, my dear?”

“Am I free this weekend? I have a soccer game I’d like to watch,” Dorothea asks in hopes that the answer was a clear yes.

Manuela hums in thought, flipping through her clipboard and notes. She lets out a grunt of frustration and clicks her tongue. “I think we may have a photoshoot this weekend.”

Dorothea’s spirits drop, and Manuela can tell. Like a mother who wants the best for her child, Manuela tries to comfort Dorothea. “What time is the soccer game? I think we can make it work.”

“I’d have to ask.”

The brunette quickly types away on her phone while Manuela nods. The manager takes her cue to leave and return to organizing the concert. Loud shouts come from her as she orders around the team. Manuela then looks in Dorothea’s direction.

“By the way, you’re almost up, _Black Siren_.

Dorothea nods, and the familiar rush of adrenaline courses through her veins. She hurries her way out of the dressing room and backstage. With each and every step, Dorothea could hear her audience’s chanting get louder and louder. Their screams and cheers put the idol in a lofty mood. Her recognizable and iconic mask is handed to her as Dorothea mentally prepares herself for the upcoming performance. Next was her headset, with her mic placed on her head. The intro to her song slowly emerges and blasts through the stage’s speakers. Dorothea’s attention is focused on the flashing and beaming lights coming from the many projectors from above.

From behind, Manuela asks, “Are you ready?”

Dorothea doesn’t answer. Instead, she paces herself to the stage, meeting the applauding and excited crowd. Dorothea clutches her fist eagerly as the shining spotlight flashes, temporarily blind her. The crowd is met with an enormous welcoming smile. _The Black Siren was born ready._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holidays have been keeping me busy! Feel like Ingrid may be tad bit out of character. Hopefully I can fix that. Also, I feel like is my writing style is so inconsistent. Oh well. Next chapter is really long! Have a wonderful new years!
> 
> Catch me on Twitter @lynndias


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